Petrol tanker catches fire at Kwara filling station

A firefighter directs a high-pressure water jet toward the intense flames to contain the fuel spillage disaster. Photo credit: Kwara State Fire Service

Firefighters in Kwara State averted a major disaster after a petrol tanker carrying about 55,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit caught fire during a fuel transfer operation at a filling station in Moro Local Government Area.

The incident occurred on Friday night at A’A BA’AGEE Nigeria Limited, Aadogun Village, along the Bode Saadu-Kaiama Road, with the inferno threatening the filling station and its underground fuel storage facilities.

The Kwara State Fire Service said it received a distress call at 9:58 p.m. and deployed firefighters to the scene, where they found the tanker already engulfed in flames.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, the agency said its personnel immediately began intensive firefighting operations to prevent the fire from spreading to the filling station and its storage facilities.

According to the agency, the fire was brought under control at 12:20 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, after sustained efforts by the firefighters.

“Although the tanker was affected by the fire, the filling station and the 55,000 litres of PMS in the tanker were successfully protected, thereby preventing what could have resulted in a major disaster,” the statement said.

The fire service stated that information gathered at the scene indicated that the tanker had delivered the petroleum product to the facility and was transferring its contents into an underground storage tank when the fire broke out.

It added that the driver attempted to move the burning tanker away from the filling station to reduce the threat to the facility.

“During the transfer process, a sudden fire reportedly erupted and caught the tanker,” the agency said.

 “The driver managed to move the tanker a little bit out of the filling station in an attempt to reduce the immediate threat to the facility.

“Efforts were initially made to suppress the fire before the arrival of the fire service; however, those efforts proved insufficient, and the fire escalated, eventually engulfing the tanker,” it added.

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The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters for their response, saying their intervention prevented the destruction of the filling station and its fuel storage facilities.

Muhammed, however, warned filling station operators, tanker drivers, and petroleum product handlers against disregarding safety procedures during fuel transfer operations.

He said the transfer of petroleum products required strict compliance with safety standards and the availability of appropriate fire protection equipment.

The fire chief advised petroleum handlers to ensure proper grounding and bonding during fuel transfer to reduce the risk of ignition from static electricity.

He also warned against smoking, open flames, welding, and other activities capable of producing sparks around fuel handling and storage areas.

Muhammed urged filling station operators to provide and regularly maintain functional fire extinguishers, foam systems, and other approved firefighting installations.

He further called for routine inspection of fuel transfer hoses, valves, connections, and other equipment to identify defects that could trigger accidents.

The chief fire officer said tanker drivers, station attendants, and other personnel should receive adequate emergency training and be familiar with procedures for responding to fire outbreaks.

He cautioned untrained personnel against attempting to tackle an escalating petroleum fire without the necessary equipment and support from emergency responders.

Muhamed urged operators to treat any indication of fire during fuel transfer as an emergency and immediately alert the fire service and other relevant agencies.

The agency reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property in the state, urging petroleum marketers and transport operators to prioritise safety compliance.